Are you scared enough to be happy about a tunnel?

The Alaskan Way Viaduct has always been a concern for those who commute through Seattle. With recent collapses across the country, more and more attention came towards the local Viaduct.

People walking under the bridge have seen chunks fall off, and places where large chunks have fell off. There are annual safety inspections, meant to keep us feeling safe on the bridge. During the most recent earthquake, buildings near the viaduct lost piles and piles of bricks. Most of the bricks landing on parked cars below.

The Department of Transportation was pressured to do a study on the effects of a larger, more local earthquake. The results were this un-released video. I believe the study cost 80 million dollars, and it kinda got the locals interested in the results of the study.

Before we get into the results of the study, and the controversy around the video; Lets look at where Seattle has chosen to go by way of the viaduct. The viaduct is being replaced with a tunnel. Then lets look at Seattle by itself. I moved to Seattle from New York over 14 years ago, and even in New York schools they taught us of the "Ring of Fire". They also taught us of the San Andreas Fault( 800 miles of California, slowly driving the state into the ocean.). Now knowing there are fault lines right under the city of Seattle,(from Sammamish to Bremerton) and the size of said lines being larger then first suspected. These fault lines are extending all the way through Washington, as well as above and below Washington. Lets face it; We are in a hot bed of geological activity, and we all know it; Especially the people that went to school here and learned local geography.

For anyone to say that this video had any intent to scare the citizens of the are is absurd for at least two reasons. One of which being; It was never intended to be seen by the populous to begin with. ( The freedom of information act, and the Seattle-ites need to know brought the fear to the table) Secondly, already knowing where we live, we should already have this common sense in our heads to begin with. You just can not live on the West Coast, and not know the chances are there.

The viaduct is no longer a real concern for Seattle residents. It is coming down one way or another. The mayor and the State worked together to approve a tunnel costing billions. They did this , in part because, they knew it had to be done. They also did this because, it was evident , the people were going to him and haw over the ordeal until it was too late.

I would say, in this case, the appointed representative system worked. The people by themselves were not going to make the hard decision. What really sucks about that is it ruins my belief that the people should have the vote. This is an instance where I was proven wrong.